Ice Safety

Snowmobiling, ice fishing and cross country skiing are some activities that happen on the ice. Ice thickness should be at least 10 centimeters (4 inches) to safely support one person, and more if vehicles are present. If your work or recreation activities take you out onto the ice, wear a personal flotation device and take safety equipment with you. Do not go out onto the ice alone.

Fast moving rivers such as the Yukon River freeze and melt at different rates and are even more unpredictable than lakes and ponds. We encourage citizens to stay off river ice and as an alternative, please choose the use of designated ice surfaces such as local community ice rinks.

If you do find yourself in a dangerous situation involving ice, please remember:

Call 911 if you, another person or your pet needs assistance

Stay calm and shout for help

Have a long branch, rope or pole to reach someone, but do not become a victim

Keep low and distribute your weight as much as possible

If you break through the ice, if possible make an attempt to climb out where you fell through

Be prepared to start a fire to mitigate the effects of hypothermia

Parents are encouraged to speak to their children about the dangers of going out onto the ice. Always supervise children playing on or near ice or bodies of water and keep pets on a leash.